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I'm home now for the weekend, but I should have a copy sitting on the HDD of my work computer. Will check on Monday.

Quick Google found this https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/164994/Blank Board Serializer.zip

According to what I'm reading, the blank serializer will not work because I do not know what the serial # should be and Apple cross checks them with certain installs, FaceTime, iMessages, and iCloud, all of which I've had issues with in El Capitan. Apple actually has a black list on serial numbers to prevent stolen computers from getting updates installations or just working properly, I'm reading. But my problem is that AppleCare made the error in NOT serializing the machine after a logic board replacement.

I'm very reluctant to get rid of this Mac Pro for this reason because at that time it was pretty tricked out and used in Hollywood filmmaking. All Final Cut Pro clips were deleted from the machine prior to my purchase.
 
The serial number is printed on a label in the back of the computer. Is that label missing from your computer?

There is nothing on the back, not even a place for any label, but will it matter if it's a different replacement logic board? I think the label is on the bottom actually, so thanks. If that serial works, then I'm good. If not, I doubt Apple would fix or undo it. :(
 
There is nothing on the back, not even a place for any label, but will it matter if it's a different replacement logic board? I think the label is on the bottom actually, so thanks. If that serial works, then I'm good. If not, I doubt Apple would fix or undo it. :(
The serial number label on Mac Pros is normally on the horizontal surface below the PCI slots on the back. There is not normally a serial number on the bottom, and if the label you're seeing doesn't have barcodes it isn't likely the serial.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201764
On the Mac Pro I have here there's a label on the bottom with 825-7112-A on it. If the number you're seeing is in that format, it's not the serial number.
 
The serial number label on Mac Pros is normally on the horizontal surface below the PCI slots on the back. There is not normally a serial number on the bottom, and if the label you're seeing doesn't have barcodes it isn't likely the serial.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201764
On the Mac Pro I have here there's a label on the bottom with 825-7112-A on it. If the number you're seeing is in that format, it's not the serial number.

Ok, Thank You!

I didn't realize that the bar code and serial is completely obstructed by the dual video connections, it was not easily noticeable.

Once again THANKS! :)
 
There's an error message that the Firmware update is not compatible with this Mac Pro. So the firmware was useless to me unless someone can explain the method of evading all the Apple blocks to install it. I'm not extremely proficient in UNIX or the Terminal, so I'm reluctant to experiment with this without knowing what someone else has already done successfully.

No I don't intend to install Sierra on a mission critical Mac OS partition, but I would like to try it.

It is possible. You can safely assume you can't brick your mac with the firmware update!

The problem you are encountering is that it is harder to firmware flash on El Capitan. Apple has put a security measure in place so that makes it *impossible* to flash the firmware from 4,1 to 5,1 on El Capitan.

What you *can also do* is downgrade the OS to Yosemite or lower. Then perform the flash.

After the flash you can safely upgrade back to El Capitan. There are guide to this method on this forum aswel.

Hopes this helps!
 
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It is possible. You can safely assume you can't brick your mac with the firmware update!

The problem you are encountering is that it is not possible to firmware flash on El Capitan. Apple has put a security measure in place so that makes it impossible to flash the firmware from 4,1 to 5,1 on El Capitan.

What you need to do is downgrade the OS to Yosemite or lower. Then perform the flash.

After the flash you can safely upgrade back to El Capitan. There are guide to this method on this forum aswel.

Hopes this helps!

You can do it with El Cap, just disable SIP first, I've done this on a couple 4,1 recently.
 
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That's pretty cool! I did not know that. I'll edit my post accordingly. Thanks for the heads-up!

reboot with COMMAND R
start terminal
type "CSRUTIL DISABLE"

update firmware with special disk image mounted per instructions (think it cant download from the web, unsure about that)

reboot with COMMAND R
start terminal
type "CSRUTIL ENABLE"

Reboot. Now you are running 5.1 on a El Cap OSX machine.
[doublepost=1470696115][/doublepost]Will Sierra install even if there is no Wi-Fi installed in the machine?

Will all apps work as normal with no Wi-Fi?

I have installed Wi-Fi cards from 2008 model, they are running just fine in 4.1 with El Capitan. Pretty sure they will not work with new features in OSX. Just hoping that it won't block out FaceTime or other apps?

//GF
 
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Will Sierra install even if there is no Wi-Fi installed in the machine?

Will all apps work as normal with no Wi-Fi?

I have installed Wi-Fi cards from 2008 model, they are running just fine in 4.1 with El Capitan. Pretty sure they will not work with new features in OSX. Just hoping that it won't block out FaceTime or other apps?

//GF
Wifi is not required to get Sierra to install or run.
 
reboot with COMMAND R
start terminal
type "CSRUTIL DISABLE"

update firmware with special disk image mounted per instructions (think it cant download from the web, unsure about that)

//GF

I have multiple boot partitions.
What if I just zap PRAM and boot to Mavericks or Yosemite?
Shouldn't this disable and unlock on me flashing a logic board serial or doing a firmware update?
 
I have multiple boot partitions.
What if I just zap PRAM and boot to Mavericks or Yosemite?
Shouldn't this disable and unlock on me flashing a logic board serial or doing a firmware update?

Since SIP wasn't implemented in Mavericks or Yosemite, that would be another way of accomplishing the firmware update.
 
I have multiple boot partitions.
What if I just zap PRAM and boot to Mavericks or Yosemite?
Shouldn't this disable and unlock on me flashing a logic board serial or doing a firmware update?
You don't need to do anything with PRAM. If you have another boot partition, boot from either Mavericks or Yosemite and the firmware updater will work as expected.
 
Hello, it's being so for past 9 years

For 4,1, you have three chooses:
1) follow path of 3,1 macpro
2) copy installed image from another mac
3) upgrade firmware to 5,1 and enjoy

3,1 has only 1) and 2)

everything works, continue the party.

Netkas,

I have 2009 Mac Pro, 4,1 firmware, 2.26 Octacore with El Capitan. tried flashing the firmware to 5,1, twice, received no error but still registers at 4,1. Am I missing something?
 
Netkas,

I have 2009 Mac Pro, 4,1 firmware, 2.26 Octacore with El Capitan. tried flashing the firmware to 5,1, twice, received no error but still registers at 4,1. Am I missing something?

Reebot to your recovery disc, start terminal, type "csrutil disable". Reboot and try again.

I hade major problems too. After i swapped in a disk with fresh install it worked just fine.
 
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working on my Mac Pro 2009 2.66 GHz 8-core, flashed to 5,1, some time ago to try and get 32GB of 1333 MHz RAM to work but didn't. Thought I did it for nothing. With an El Capitan installed an backed up just in case, I installed Sierra with not one hiccup, like it was a regular install.

Good Luck Out There!
 
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